Salsa to the Beat of Orquesta Tropikiimba

Enjoy an evening of Afro-Caribbean music with Orquesta Tropikiimba, performing at the amphitheater tonight, Friday, Aug. 12 as part of the Spotlight by Starlight summer concert series. Orquesta Tropikiimba is one of the few authentic Afro-Caribbean orchestras in the Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. area. Many of the band members are from different countries including Cuba, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, Mexico, Dominican Republic, St. Thomas and the United States.

Learn more about the Orquesta Tropikiimba in this Q&A with band leader Tony Ruiz.

What’s it like to be one of the few authentic Afro-Caribbean orchestras in the Washington metropolitan area? 

It is a privilege for us to play this music for anybody and everybody. We enjoy playing for any crowd from a very energetic Latino crowd that knows the genre and loves to dance to it, to a more curious crowd that is being exposed to it for the first time, in either case we feel very fortunate to get the chance to play and expose people to Afro-Cuban or Afro-Caribbean music anywhere.

What kind of response do you get from music lovers and local venues in and around the District? How do you feel about the local music scene?

We typically get a good response from the crowds, it's really hard not too when you play Cuban music or Salsa music because it's truly irresistible so you almost have to get up and dance or at least move around a little bit or you should have your pulse checked!!! (ha ha ha). We have always had a good response playing in the D.C. area, largely due to the fact that there is a bigger Latino population in addition to having more salsa dancers so the crowds tend to already know some of the material and they love dancing to it. 

What is your role in the orchestra? How long have you been a part of it? 

I'm the band leader and I play the Tres (Cuban Guitar), Guitar, Guiro and sing harmony vocals as well as lead vocals. I am also the founder of the group (2001).

What do you love most about playing Afro-Caribbean music?

The music itself, I love to listen to it, study it, write it, arrange it, record it and of course perform it. I would have to say what I like most about playing Afro-Cuban or Afro-Caribbean music is the connection between the band and the crowd, it is very energetic, fun music to groove to so even if the crowd doesn't recognize the songs or the genre because they have never been exposed to it before they still tend to want to get up, move and enjoy the music anyway. 

Why do you think they have Salsa music or at least Latin percussion in so many commercials selling products that don't have anything to do with Salsa music or Latino culture? They use it because it gets people’s attention every time so even the advertising industry in the States has caught on to this and have for years now been using it as marketing tool, which is great for us because it gives us another avenue to make money recording Afro-Cuban music which I love to do more than anything else.

Click here for more information on Orquesta Tropikiimba.

For last minute performance cancellations due to inclement weather, call 703-324-SHOW (7469) one hour prior to the program start time.

Friday, Aug. 12, 7:30 p.m.; Free
6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA; (703) 324-SHOW